There is nothing more interesting for me than learning about different cultures, customs, traditions and life of people from all over the world. Revising my knowledge about Vietnam in the framework of the Vietnam virtual field trip, I came to the conclusion that I know quite a little information about this country, and most of it is pretty superficial. I know that Vietnam has recently attracted tourists from Russia and Central Asia. Some of my friends have visited Vietnam in the past few years. I haven’t met anyone who hasn’t enjoyed their trip, making this destination more and more desirable for me as well.
Furthermore, I am aware of the recent economic successes of Vietnam; as studying economics as my IB module, we have discussed various economic concepts, providing very different examples. One of such examples was given by my classmate, and it was based on the fast-growing Vietnamese GDP. This information was fascinating for me because I didn’t understand the source of such an economic boost. However, our teacher has explained that one of the main reasons for this is high export activities. One of the questions I want to explore further is to look at the primary sources for export and who are the main trading partners with Vietnam in the modern world?
I am also interested in learning more about Vietnamese culture, particularly about people’s daily lives, especially traditions, cuisine, famous attractions and cultural peculiarities. I like to know Vietnamese history, the well-known symbols and events. The Vietnamese colonial past and the war with the USA have made such an impact on world politics. I know very little, and I hope I can learn.
Another sphere of my interest is Vietnamese nature. I have seen many beautiful pictures of waterfalls, forests, lakes and islands, located in the territory of Vietnam, and I am sure that Vietnamese people have a lot to say about these fascinating landscapes, as it looks impressive. I would like to visit the country one day, and this course will prepare me for my trip.
Also, it was interesting for me to learn that Vietnam has managed to deal with the consequences of the global pandemic very successfully, having very few cases, comparing to other countries. That is why I wondered whether it is because of effective governmental regulations and timely policies, or are there any other reasons behind that?
I am very excited to be a part of this virtual field trip to Vietnam, as it would allow me to receive answers to the questions I have, meet new people and learn more about this beautiful country.
Alexandra Bukhareva, Year 1, BA (Hons) Politics and International Relations.